The NYT reports (via Brownstoner) that Robert Scarano, Architect and posterboy for everything that is wrong with self-certication, has been banned from filing construction plans with DOB.
Scarano of course is best known to Carroll Gardeners as the scurrilous fiend responsible for 333 Carroll Street (aka The Carroll Gardens Hell Building), the Satori (aka The Gowanus Bunker), and for the original Heavy Metal design of 360 Smith. Reviled by contextual development afficinados, people of good taste, and those who believe in complying with our building laws, Scarano was specifically targeted by then-Councilman Bill deBlasio for his flagrant, repeated and unrepentant abuse of the zoning code.
Scarano could conceivably be described as an honorary founding member of CORD, as his 360 Smith design proved to be a rallying point that the group coalesced to oppose. (I kid, I kid . . . sort of.)
His comeuppance was long past due.
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/03/scarano_barred.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/nyregion/04scarano.html
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Future of 4th Avenue Forum - March 4
The Park Slope Civic Council is hosting a forum on the Future of 4th Avenue this Thursday night. The event is being coordinated by PSCC Livable Streets Chair and transit guru Michael Cairl, and will focus on a vision for the future of this key Brooklyn artery. The forum goes beyond Park Slope/Gowanus to include Sunset Park and look at the broader picture presented by this key piece of connective infrastructure.
As Cairl says, this will be the beginning of a conversation about the future of 4th Ave. There is a tremendous potential here, but the corridor is currently facing a number of issues, from traffic to streetscape to zoning. The most recent (and controversial) rezoning, for example, has had the paradoxical consequence of creating dead spaces on the street where new residential towers have gone up, due to ground level parking and mechanicals.
And given that 4th Avenue features excellent subway access, these structures point up the absurdity of requiring onsite parking construction in new buildings. City Planning currently forces developers to suburbanize New York - a practice that must end.
This should be an excellent forum.
The Future of 4th Avenue
Thuresday, March 4, 2010, 7-9pm
St. Thomas Aquinas Church @ 4th Ave and Ninth St.
More:
http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/02/14/park_slope_courier/news/courier-yn_park_slope-psfourth.txt
As Cairl says, this will be the beginning of a conversation about the future of 4th Ave. There is a tremendous potential here, but the corridor is currently facing a number of issues, from traffic to streetscape to zoning. The most recent (and controversial) rezoning, for example, has had the paradoxical consequence of creating dead spaces on the street where new residential towers have gone up, due to ground level parking and mechanicals.
And given that 4th Avenue features excellent subway access, these structures point up the absurdity of requiring onsite parking construction in new buildings. City Planning currently forces developers to suburbanize New York - a practice that must end.
This should be an excellent forum.
The Future of 4th Avenue
Thuresday, March 4, 2010, 7-9pm
St. Thomas Aquinas Church @ 4th Ave and Ninth St.
More:
http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/02/14/park_slope_courier/news/courier-yn_park_slope-psfourth.txt
Gowanus Superfunded
Via Pardon Me For Asking, some good news for the polluted Gowanus Canal.
I saw the rumor this morning via the Courier and had my fingers crossed. My view has always been this was the only possible outcome from the moment DEC made the request to EPA to list the Gowanus Canal.
Opponents of Superfund were laboring under the illusion that Superfund designation would leave a cloud over the Gowanus . . . when in reality Superfund cleanup was the only way to clear the air once the referral was made. The die was cast when DEC had the integrity to make the request; Gowanus and Superfund would be discussed in the same breath thousands of times over the ensuing months. But the designation only acknowledges the underlying issue: the Gowanus Canal is heavily polluted. We could bury our heads in the muck like (soon to be) mutant ostrich, or face the issue head on.
Now let's get about the process of cleaning up.
http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2010/03/superfund-gowanus-canal-gets-listed.html
I saw the rumor this morning via the Courier and had my fingers crossed. My view has always been this was the only possible outcome from the moment DEC made the request to EPA to list the Gowanus Canal.
Opponents of Superfund were laboring under the illusion that Superfund designation would leave a cloud over the Gowanus . . . when in reality Superfund cleanup was the only way to clear the air once the referral was made. The die was cast when DEC had the integrity to make the request; Gowanus and Superfund would be discussed in the same breath thousands of times over the ensuing months. But the designation only acknowledges the underlying issue: the Gowanus Canal is heavily polluted. We could bury our heads in the muck like (soon to be) mutant ostrich, or face the issue head on.
Now let's get about the process of cleaning up.
http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2010/03/superfund-gowanus-canal-gets-listed.html
Monday, March 1, 2010
Cobble Hill Association Happy Hour
What the title says - CHA happy hour this week:
When: Wednesday March 3, 6-9pm
Where: Watty & Meg, corner of Court and Kane Streets
No word on whether Norah Jones will be there to take questions about window treatments.
When: Wednesday March 3, 6-9pm
Where: Watty & Meg, corner of Court and Kane Streets
No word on whether Norah Jones will be there to take questions about window treatments.
Squadron Steps Up: Carroll Gardens Courtyards Must Be Protected
Hats off to Senator Dan Squadron, for recognizing how important it is to preserve the courtyards that are the signature of Carroll Gardens.
Pardon Me For Asking has the statement - forgive the formatting, I'm having some technical difficulties.
http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-senator-daniel-squadron-agrees-no.html
Pardon Me For Asking has the statement - forgive the formatting, I'm having some technical difficulties.
http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-senator-daniel-squadron-agrees-no.html
Monday, February 8, 2010
F Train Weekend Shuttle Schedule - Mark Your Calendars!
Given the scope of the work that is being done on the Culver Viaduct (the elevated tracks between Carroll Street station and the 4th Avenue Station), 7 weekends in 2010 is not that bad. The bad news? Two of those weekends are right around the corner. The good news? I'll be out of town for one of them. :) (below from MTA via Senator Squadron's office)
Below, please find the weekends in 2010 when MTA NYC Transit will need to suspend F and G service between Jay Street and Church Avenue, due to the ongoing Culver Viaduct rehabilitation project. There will be more weekends in 2011, which I will be able to give you specific dates for later this year.
A shuttle bus will replace F G service between Jay Street and Church Avenue and will operate both local and express. Hours of operation for each weekend are 12:01 a.m. Saturdays through 5:00 a.m. Mondays.
February 20-22
February 27-March 1
May 8-10
May 15-17
May 22-24
November 13-15
November 20-22
Below, please find the weekends in 2010 when MTA NYC Transit will need to suspend F and G service between Jay Street and Church Avenue, due to the ongoing Culver Viaduct rehabilitation project. There will be more weekends in 2011, which I will be able to give you specific dates for later this year.
A shuttle bus will replace F G service between Jay Street and Church Avenue and will operate both local and express. Hours of operation for each weekend are 12:01 a.m. Saturdays through 5:00 a.m. Mondays.
February 20-22
February 27-March 1
May 8-10
May 15-17
May 22-24
November 13-15
November 20-22
Friday, January 29, 2010
New Signal Timing at Atlantic and Court Street Intersection
This should improve pedestrian safety at this busy intersection. From NYCDOT:
Please be advised that yesterday, January 28th, NYCDOT changed the
signal timing at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Court Street.
The new signal phasing replaces the former "lagging" westbound left turn
phase (which followed the east-west phase on Atlantic Avenue), with a
"leading" westbound left turn phase, (which precedes the east-west phase
on Atlantic Avenue) . During this leading phase, westbound through
movements have a green light as well. A leading pedestrian interval
(LPI) across Atlantic Avenue is also provided to minimize conflicts
between crossing pedestrian and vehicles turning from Court Street to
Atlantic Avenue.
We believe these changes will make the intersection more legible to
pedestrians and promote their safety. We would be interested to hear
any feedback you receive on these changes.
Please be advised that yesterday, January 28th, NYCDOT changed the
signal timing at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Court Street.
The new signal phasing replaces the former "lagging" westbound left turn
phase (which followed the east-west phase on Atlantic Avenue), with a
"leading" westbound left turn phase, (which precedes the east-west phase
on Atlantic Avenue) . During this leading phase, westbound through
movements have a green light as well. A leading pedestrian interval
(LPI) across Atlantic Avenue is also provided to minimize conflicts
between crossing pedestrian and vehicles turning from Court Street to
Atlantic Avenue.
We believe these changes will make the intersection more legible to
pedestrians and promote their safety. We would be interested to hear
any feedback you receive on these changes.
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